Update - Snow.
I awoke to this sight of the scooter dusted in snow and more coming down and I’m unsure what to do.
It is supposed to snow until 9am, though it could last throughout the day, dropping three inches. At nine in the morning, it’s supposed to be around 36 degrees in Flagstaff. However, in Williams, roughly 35 miles away, it will be ten degrees warmer.
I am not equipped to ride in such cold temperatures. I wasn’t expected much under 45 degrees. But near-freezing is just not possible with what I’ve got.
Staying here another night is an option, but I would much rather move on. The high in Flagstaff is only going to be 40.
Before getting to Williams, I have to climb in elevation. 7400 feet, to be exact. This is the highest point on the post-1937 Route 66 (Glorietta Pass in New Mexico is the highest overall). So basically, it’ll get worse before it gets better.
Between Flagstaff and Williams lies mostly dirt roads that used to be several different alignments of Route 66. Oh, and interstate. And not much else. All of the dirt roads will be off limits today. The snow, which mostly melts upon hitting the ground, has soaked them.
And while that makes the trip to Williams a lot quicker, it completely defeats what I wanted to do on this trip. This sucks. It was one of the stretches that I was most looking forward to. Even if I stick around till tomorrow, it can’t happen, they’ll still be too muddy.
I’m using two books as guides. One says they are gravel, the other says they are dirt. Gravel would actually be perfect in the snow. Dirt, not really.
Gravel would slow me down to the speed of a brisk walk, which, as opposed to the interstate, would be much warmer than trying to do 65mph in 35 degree temps (which, if you were curious, is a wind chill of 17 degrees).
Check out time is at noon. I’ll take advantage of that and see what the weather brings.
I’ll update this before leaving.
-
It’s 10am (1pm, for you east coast folks). And it’s sunny. So off I go! Wish me luck. Here’s hoping there’s no wind (so far, there’s not) and here’s hoping the trucks aren’t SO bad on I-40. And here’s hoping that it’s gravel, not mud. Woo!
6 responses so far
welcome to spring travel in the high desert (actually you are in the mountains, but the same shit holds true)…cold at night and you can get snow at any time…luckily it melts by 10 am most days…unluckily, in flagstaff it can stay till july…
good luck…drive slow…watch for black ice and crazy cagers (they don’t have a clue as to riding on snow or ice)
g
[Reply]
Eric reply on May 23rd, 2008 7:46 pm:
Thankfully, black ice wasn’t an issue. However, snow coating my face shield *was*. Wow. What horrible weather. You know, the only place I got good weather this whole trip was Albuquerque (and sort of OKC - but there was the threat of tornadoes, so how can that possibly count?
I’m “glad” I got to see Flagstaff in the snow. It’s actually really “pretty.”
[Reply]
i think williams ate your face.
[Reply]
Eric reply on May 23rd, 2008 7:37 pm:
It was blinding, blizzard-like insanity when I entered the Safeway… and it was warm and sunny when I left. I think I was in there until July.
[Reply]
What?? Snow?? How?? It was in the 90s here in Austin, TX and sunny all day!
My god we’ve screwed up Mommy Earth. If you’re getting snow in Arizona in May then something has gone backwards.
Most surreal Route 66 trip….. ever.
[Reply]
Eric reply on May 24th, 2008 12:22 am:
From what I understand.. it’s weird, but not super uncommon.
But it does REALLY suck.
[Reply]